Calibration method and apparatus for a mobile device

• US 7,600,426 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suunto Oy (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Suunto Oy (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mattila, Ville-Juhana, Savolainen, Tapio, Ahlstrom, Mikko Tuomas, Koivumaa, Veikko Matti, Kemetter, Markus, Lindman, Erik, Martikka, Mikko, Miettinen, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen; Andre J
• Application Number:
  US12/153,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20080289415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 733/84, 701/213
• US Class Current: 73/384
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/06 by using barometric means

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a mobile device. In accordance with the method—pressure data is measured, the pressure data is used as atmospheric-pressure data and/or for the definition of altitude, and the magnetic field of the Earth is measured by a magnetic sensor (22). In accordance with the invention consecutive measurements are performed using the magnetic sensor (22) and the consecutive measurement results are compared, and on the basis of the comparison the mobile device (20) is commanded to either atmospheric-pressure measurement or altitude measurement.

Claims

1. Method in a mobile device (20), in which

pressure data is measured,

the pressure data is used as atmospheric-pressure data and/or for the definition of altitude, and

the magnetic field of the Earth is measured by a magnetic sensor (22), characterized in that

consecutive measurements are performed using the magnetic sensor (22) and the consecutive measurement results are compared, and on the basis of the comparison the mobile device (20) is commanded to either atmospheric-pressure measurement or altitude measurement.

2. Method according to claim 1,characterized in that if the signal of the magnetic sensor (22) does not vary it is assumed that the altitude location remains constant and the mobile device is commanded to atmospheric-pressure measurement and the altitude data is displayed or recorded in the memory.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, if the signal of the magnetic sensor (22) varies it is assumed that the atmospheric-pressure data remains constant and the mobile device is commanded to altitude measurement and the atmospheric pressure is recorded in the memory.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that time data is used to ensure the result of the magnetic measurement.

5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that before the decision on the selection of the manner of measurement, several magnetic measurements are made, in order to filter out erroneous measurements.

6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the first change is detected in the magnetic measurement, the pairs of pressure/magnetic measurements are recorded in the memory (24) of the mobile device (20).

7. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the device has been stationary for some predefined period of time, some predefined altitude is set as the altitude data.

11. Mobile device (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (21) for using time data to ensure the result of the magnetic measurement.

12. Mobile device (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises, for filtering out erroneous measurements, means (21) for making several magnetic measurements, before a decision on the selection of the manner of measurement.

13. Mobile device (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (21) for recording pairs of pressure/magnetic measurement data in the memory (24) of the mobile device (20), when the first change is detected in the magnetic measurement.

14. Mobile device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises setting means for setting the altitude data to a predefined altitude, when the device has been stationary for some predefined period of time.

15. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that, if the signal of the magnetic sensor (22) varies it is assumed that the atmospheric-pressure data remains constant and the mobile device is commanded to altitude measurement and the atmospheric pressure is recorded in the memory.

16. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that time data is used to ensure the result of the magnetic measurement.

17. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that time data is used to ensure the result of the magnetic measurement.

18. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that before the decision on the selection of the manner of measurement, several magnetic measurements are made, in order to filter out erroneous measurements.

19. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that before the decision on the selection of the manner of measurement, several magnetic measurements are made, in order to filter out erroneous measurements.

20. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that before the decision on the selection of the manner of measurement, several magnetic measurements are made, in order to filter out erroneous measurements.

8. Mobile device (20), which comprises

means (23) for measuring pressure,

means (21) for using the pressure data as atmospheric-pressure data and/or as altitude-level data, and

measuring means (22) for measuring the magnetic field of the Earth,

characterized in that the mobile device comprises

means (22, 21) for performing consecutive measurements using the means for measuring the magnetic field of the Earth and

means (21, 24) for comparing the consecutive measurement results and, on the basis of the comparison, for commanding the mobile device (20) to either atmospheric-pressure measurement or altitude measurement.

9. Mobile device (20) according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises means (21) to command the mobile device to atmospheric-pressure measurement and the altitude data is displayed, or recorded in the memory, if the signal of the magnetic sensor (22) does not change.

10. Mobile device (20) according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises means (21) to command the mobile device to altitude measurement, if the signal of the magnetic sensor (22) changes.